"I am going to leap over conventionalities, and come direct to a subject which must be very near your heart," she said.
She looked with interest at Katherine Hunt. She had never seen her before, but she liked her face.
"You are one of those blessed ones," continued Miss Hunt, "whose privilege it is to help a man in a great emergency. All we girls in these ballrooms know that many of those we love best will soon be exposed to danger, to hardship--perhaps to death."
"Why do you remind me of it?" asked Kitty. She trembled as she spoke.
"Because such thoughts must have come to you: because I guess--nay, I know--your secret. I met Captain Keith a few days ago. He is engaged to you. He asked me for my congratulations."
"Did he?" replied Kitty. She held out her soft hand impulsively. "Congratulate me too," she said. "I can scarcely realize my great happiness. Yes, I am engaged to him, and if possible we will be married before Saturday, and I mean to go south with him."
"I don't know whether to admire or to upbraid you," said Katherine Hunt. "Sometimes a woman best shows her love by effacing herself."
"Mine is not that sort of love. It is selfish; I don't pretend to deny it," replied Kitty.
"I am sorry to hear you say so, for Captain Keith deserves an unselfish devotion. Shall I tell you how I first became acquainted with him?"
"Please do." Kitty leaned back as she spoke. She felt quite restful and very happy. All was right at last--her daring step had been crowned with success. Even the dress of the Silver Queen had been worth buying at the cost of honesty, for was not the prize she had coveted in her hand?
Katherine Hunt read the eager and charming face as though she would sift all its thoughts to the very bottom. She noticed, even in that moment of bliss and exultation, certain lines about the lips, certain weaknesses in the contour of chin and neck, which would develop into something more than weakness by-and-by. She felt a curious desire to wring this girl's secret from her. She knew that she was in a measure cruel, but she could not desist.
"I will tell you," she said, "it is such an exciting story. Do you know that on Thursday of last week--yes, I remember quite well, it was Thursday--I lost my purse."